BHUBANESWAR, India鈥揂 traditional Indian wedding procession with pumping music, fireworks, dancing and a marching brass band in shiny jackets has been blamed for the death of 63 chickens.
Ranjit Kumar Parida said the party was blasting out 鈥渆ar-splitting noise鈥� as it passed his poultry farm in the eastern state of Odisha shortly before midnight on Sunday.
鈥淚 asked the band operators to lower the volume as the music was too noisy and terrifying the chickens. But they did not listen and the groom鈥檚 friends shouted at me,鈥� Parida told AFP.
A vet told Parida the chickens had died of a heart attack, and he filed a police complaint after the wedding organizers refused to pay compensation.
Zoology professor Suryakanta Mishra, who has authored a book on animal behavior, told the Hindustan Times that loud noise increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in birds.
鈥淐hickens are governed by a circadian rhythm that is controlled by the natural light/dark cycle of day and night.
鈥淪udden excitement or stress due to loud music could disrupt their biological clock,鈥� Mishra said.
The story had a happy ending 鈥� except for the chickens 鈥� after police convinced the warring parties to 鈥渟olve the matter mutually鈥�.
鈥淲e have not initiated any action as (the poultry farmer) withdrew the complaint,鈥� police official Droupadi Das said.